This invention relates in general to roller skates and more particularly relates to a skate having a selectably-engagable mechanism for selecting the modes of wheel lock, rotation in only one direction, or free rotation in two directions.
It has long been recognized that the early stages of learning to roller skate are facilitated by providing a skate in which one or more of the wheels is prevented from turning in the rearward direction. By providing such a feature, a beginning skater may more easily learn to stop his forward motion without having to be concerned with the problem of thereafter beginning to roll backwards. Backward motion is considerably more difficult for a beginning skater to control than forward motion, and a skate having a forward only mode of operation is known to be useful. U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,767 to Robjent and Klamer and U.S. Pat. No. Re 32,346 to Klamer and Mortonson are examples of inventions intended to facilitate learning to roller skate by preventing one or more of the wheels from turning in the rearward direction.
In particular, U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,767 describes and claims a roller skate selectively switchable between a freewheeling mode in which all of the wheels are free to rotate in either direction and a unidirectional mode wherein at least one and preferably two wheels are inhibited from rotating in a rearward direction.
It has been determined that it would be useful in training beginning roller skaters to additionally be able to provide a roller skate that could be selectively actuated such that one or more wheels of the roller skate would not turn in either direction. For example, roller skating coaches often begin training children to roller skate by utilizing roller skates of the type having wheels secured to axles by nuts, and wherein the coach tightens the nuts to the point where the wheels will not rotate. However, a separate wrench is required to lock the wheels on such skates.
Enabling a beginning skater to stand on the roller skates without the wheels rotating inspires confidence in the beginning skaters and gets them accustomed to the feel of the skates and the weight of the skates on their feet. Locking one or more wheels of a skate also permits a beginning skater to feel secure on the skates and to get their first start at skating by walking on the skates. Being able to lock one or more wheels of a roller skate, especially without having to use a wrench, would also be useful to even advanced skaters, for example where it was desired to climb stairs with the roller skates.
The present invention relates to an improvement in the roller skate construction shown and described in U.S. Pat. No. 4,553,767. The skate described in that patent is one wherein the skate can be selectively actuated to perform in either of two modes, one being a freewheeling mode in which all of the wheels are free to rotate in either direction and the other being a unidirectional mode wherein at least one and preferably two of the wheels are inhibited from rotating in a rearward direction.